Io.  I am not tierd, but so wearie I cannot goe with following a maister that followes his mistresse, that followes her shadow, that followes the sunne, that followes his course.

Fris.  That follows the colt, that followed the mare the man rode on to Midleton.  Shall I speake a wise word?

Mop.  Do, and wee will burne our caps.

Fris.  Are not we fooles?

Io.  Is that a wise word?

Fris.  Giue me leave; are not we fooles to weare our young feete to old stumps, when there dwells a cunning man in a Cave hereby who for a bunch of rootes, a bagge of nuts, or a bushell of crabs will tell us where thou shalt find thy maister, and which of our maisters shall win the wenche’s favour?

Io.  Bring me to him, Frisco:  I’ll give him all the poynts at my hose to poynt me right to my maister.

Mop.  A bottle of whey shall be his meed if he save me labour for posting with presents.

    Enter Aramanthus with his Globe, &c.

Fris.  Here he comes:  offend him not, Ioculo, for feare he turne thee to a Iacke an apes.

Mop.  And thee to an Owle.

Io.  And thee to a wood-cocke.

Fris.  A wood-cocke an Owle and an Ape.

Mop.  A long bill a broade face and no tayle.

Io.  Kisse it, Mopso, and be quiet:  Ile salute him civilly.  Good speed, good man.

Aram.  Welcome, bad boy.

Fris.  He speakes to thee, Ioculo.

Io.  Meaning thee, Frisco.

Aram.  I speake and meane not him, nor him, nor thee; But speaking so, I speake and meane all three.

Io.  If ye be good at Rimes and Riddles, old man, expound me this:—­

    These two serve two, those two serve one;
    Assoyle[120] me this and I am gone.

Aram.  You three serve three; those three do seeke to one; One shall her finde; he comes, and she is gone.

Io.  This is a wise answer:  her going caused his comming; For if she had nere gone he had nere come.

Mop.  Good maister wizard, leave these murlemewes and tel Mopso plainly whether Gemulo my maister, that gentle shepheard, shall win the love of the faire shepheardesse, his flocke-keeper, or not; and Ile give ye a bottle of as good whey as ere ye laid lips to.

Fris.  And good father Fortune-teller, let Frisco knowe whether Siluio my maister, that lustie Forrester, shall gaine that same gay shepheardesse or no.  Ile promise ye nothing for your paines but a bag full of nuts, and if I bring a crab or two in my pocket take them for advantage.

Io.  And gentle maister wise-man, tell Ioculo if his noble maister Ascanio, that gallant courtier, shal be found by me, and she found by him for whom he hath lost his father’s favour and his owne libertie and I my labour; and Ile give ye thankes, for we courtiers neither giue nor take bribes.